Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI212-1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCALI212-1’, characterized by its semi-upright to outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching and flowering habit; relatively large soft pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; good garden performance; and resistance to  Thielaviopsis .

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USCALI212-1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘USCALI212-1’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new heat-tolerant and disease-resistant Calibrachoacultivars with densely mounding plant habit and numerous and attractiveflowers.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Apr. 16, 2003 in Hikone, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryseedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C67-1,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedlingselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ03-051, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Gensingen, Germany on Jun. 4, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Gensingen, Germany since Jun. 5, 2004 hasshown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar USCALI212-1 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USCALI212-1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USCALI212-1’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa:

-   -   1. Semi-upright to outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded        plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Relatively large soft pink-colored flowers with red        purple-colored centers.    -   5. Good garden performance.    -   6. Resistant to Thielaviopsis.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants ofthe female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more outwardly spreading        than and not as upright as plants of the female parent        selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants ofthe male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more upright than and not        as creeping as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection do        not have red purple-colored flower centers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivarSunbelkupi, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,287. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the newCalibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Sunbelkupi in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more upright than and not        as creeping as plants of the cultivar Sunbelkupi.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the Sunbelkupi differed in        flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunbelkupi had red        purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Kakegawa S8, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,508. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of thenew Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Kakegawa S8 in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more upright than and not        as creeping as plants of the cultivar Kakegawa S8.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the Kakegawa S8 differed in        flower color as plants of the cultivar Kakegawa S8 had darker        pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCALI212-1’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up of typicalflowers of ‘USCALI212-1’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations, measurements and valuesdescribe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., under commercial practiceduring the summer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures ranging from 18° C. to 32° C. and night temperaturesranging from 13° C. to 24° C. Rooted young plants were grown for aboutseven weeks with one plant per 15-cm container. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar USCALI212-1.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number C67-1, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ03-051, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Semi-upright to outwardly spreading,            mounding growth habit. Freely branching habit with about ten            primary lateral branches each with multiple secondary            lateral branches; pinching is typically not required.            Vigorous growth habit and moderately rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 58 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 26 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after            flowering, opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute to nearly rounded.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Minute pubescence;            slightly coarse.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 147B.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146A; venation, 146B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Minute pubescence. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged            singly arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering habit with            usually about 44 open flowers and flower buds per lateral            branch. Flowers persistent. Flowers face mostly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa            initiate and develop flowers about four weeks after            planting. Plants flower continuously from April to October            in Southern California.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on            the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm by 6 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2 cm.            Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: 155B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.3 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly obovate. Petal apex: Very slightly acuminate. Petal            margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, velvety. Tube            texture: Minute pubescence. Color: Petal, when opening,            upper surface: 155D blushed with 69B. Petal, when opening,            lower surface: 155D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: 65B            to 65C; towards the throat, 64B; midvein, 64C; color            becoming closer to 65D with development. Petal, fully            opened, lower surface: 65D; midvein, 64C. Throat: 12A;            venation, 64D. Tube: 10A; venation, 183D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About            8 mm. Sepal width: About 2.5 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly            lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Minute pubescence. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: About 45° to 60° from stem axis. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Minute pubescence. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Five per            flower. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: 4A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 4A.            Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            1.3 cm. Style length: About 1.1 cm. Style color: 144D.            Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma color: 144B. Ovary color: 144D.            Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to Thielaviopsis. Plants of the new    Calibrachoa have not been observed to be resistant to pests and    other pathogens common to Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI212-1’ asillustrated and described.